The Timetraveler
by IrishDame777
Summary: Evangeline Stormblade has faced prejudice against her magic all her life. She seeks solace atop High Hrothgar where she can practice her craft in peace. One day an unexpected voice clears the way to the top of the mountain and she soon finds herself embroiled in the conflicts of a civil war.


If you recognize it from Sykrim or anywhere else, I don't own it. I also like to add elements from other books, movies, and games to my stories. So if you recognize if from somewhere else, I don't own it either. Kudos and high fives to anyone who can point out the little easter eggs I add in. If you find anything confusing or it doesn't read well let me know so I can improve.

Enjoy!

"Are there really seven thousand steps?"

"That's what they say. I've never really counted them myself."

"Why are you climbing them?"

"It's a spiritual thing. They say that men were created by Kyne when the sky breathed onto the land. If you believe such things, we all started here; atop this mountain. It's the highest in all of Tamriel."

"Do _you_ believe that?"

"It's been a long time since anyone has spoken with the divines, but I'd like to believe it. Perhaps if I meditate enough at each of the Etched Tablets I'll hear them speaking to me."

"What do the tablets say?"

"No one knows. They've long since worn away."

"Hmm. Why can't you just meditate down here?"

Evangeline sighed wearily at this game of questions. The Ivarstead Innkeeper's child was an adorable little boy. He had taken a shine to her two years ago during one of her biannual pilgrimages up the Throat of the World. Every trip he bombarded her with questions about her journey. She didn't mind. It was just tiresome after awhile.

"I go up there because I hope the silence will help me hear them better."

"Oh." A pause. "What's that?!"

Eva glanced down her person to see what had caught his eye. Ah. She should have known her pistol would have snagged the boy's attention eventually. Its bright silver cylinder was reflecting the morning sun.

"That's my revolver. I take it with me for protection."

"I thought you could use magic?"

A couple walking down the sidewalk in the opposite direction looked startled at his words, and gave her dirty looks as she walked by. Eva returned them with a nasty face of her own.

"Magic scares people more than guns these days, Sven. It's not like a thousand years ago where it was slightly more accepted. I try not to use it unless I absolutely have to."

"Muriel says your magic is really strong."

"Does she now?"

"Yea! She says-"

The young woman smiled with exasperation and amusement and knelt down to face the boy.

"I'm sorry hon, but we've reached as far as you can go. Perhaps we can talk some more when I get back down ok?"

"Awww." He kicked at a small pile of dirt. "Ok. Will you practice shooting for me when you get back?! Dad won't let us see his. He said it's for protecting the inn only."

"Sure kid. I need the practice for me next speed shoot anyway."

"What's that?"

"It's a contest to see who can shoot stuff the fastest. I'll tell you all about it when I get back, ok? See you in three or four days, Sven."

"Ohhhh kay. Bye Eva!"

"Bye kid."

Evangeline adjusted the satchel over her shoulder and crossed bridge out of town. She knew there weren't seven thousand steps. Perhaps it took seven thousand footfalls to reach the temple at the top of the mountain, but there were less than one thousand actual steps on the path. Spiritual enlightenment was not her reason for climbing the mountain. She did it to train her mind and practice her magic without scaring the masses.

It wasn't that she was without religion. Hell, she had the symbol of Talos tattooed across the whole of her back. No. Her meditation came with her practice of magic not by climbing stairs. There, in that lonely dilapidated courtyard at the top of the mountain, she felt more spiritually attuned in her training than she ever would praying at some worn tablets. It was as if the divines were speaking to her as she used her spells; applauding her for using forgotten and now feared skills.

So it was that twice a year she climbed The Throat of the World to train and center herself spiritually through her magic. She knew it would cause an uproar if people found out. Last year the young daughter of the mill owner had come face-to-face with a bear. Eva had been too far away to do anything and the gun at her hip would be too dangerous to fire at that distance. With little choice to do anything else she had fired a lightning bolt. In her fear for the child she added a little too much force and put a large hole straight through the animal.

There was no gratefulness for saving Muriel's life. Her parents had scooped her up and stared at Evangeline as if she would strike them down at a moment's notice. The guards then chewed her out for half an hour about how dangerous that was and how mages weren't really welcomed in Skyrim. She had assured them she was not a mage and only dabbled in magic to pass the time. It wouldn't happen again. This was why she had lied to Sven. She would not be welcomed back in Ivarstead if they found out why she was here.

The sun was at its zenith when the worn ruins of the temple finally came into view. She smiled gratefully. Her legs felt like jelly. It would be nice to sit down and rest for a bit.

_Twice a year isn't enough to build up a tolerance for this trip._

The old stone door creaked loudly as she pushed it open. It seemed even colder inside than out.

"Let's have a little light shall we?"

With a wave of her hand balls of fire soared forward to light the old sconces and braziers. A few skeevers and a small frostbite spider turned her way and she turned them to ash with another blast of fire. She shivered slightly. Spiders were not something she could handle and it took a great deal of willpower not to run away screaming.

It was nearly sundown by the time she finished cleaning up the kitchen, a small seating area, and a room to sleep in. Venison stew was warming over the fire and the small oven was filling the room with the smell of fresh bread. One of the few people in her home town of Riften that didn't avoid her presence was the owner of the local bakery. The old woman had given her a few loafs of frozen bread dough to take on her journey.

Evangeline had grown up in Honorhall Orphanage from the time she was five and had shown a proclivity for magic since that time. She had been shunned her whole life because of it and very few people had shown her kindness. Anna Fair-Child, however, was a benevolent old woman who was welcoming to everyone. She had no tolerance for prejudice of any sort and treated everyone with respect. It was she who gave Eva her first job at the bakery and helped her to leave that hellhole of an orphanage.

Once Eva had earned enough money she had moved away from Riften to a nearby city where no one knew of her magic and attended a culinary school. Eventually, she was able to open her own restaurant in Shor's Stone. It was fairly successful and allowed her to live the way she pleased. She felt she owed her success to Anna; who taught her so much before her schooling began. So she often visited her, especially before her trips to High Hrothgar. Anna's bread after all, would always be the best.

_It's thanks to her that I know of this place too. She was the one who suggested I come here for privacy to learn to control my magic._

Eva chewed thoughtfully as she remembered her first time at the monastery. Her magic had always been strong. Her control over it was another matter. If she had tried to save Muriel from that bear back then she'd have likely turned them both to ash. Now she could send a single bolt of lightning or many and direct where each one went. She could send streams of ice and fire hurtling through the air in intricate patterns.

_All thanks to these magic books Heath gave me._

Like Evangeline, Heath was gifted with magic. Unlike her, he had support. Heath was a healer at the temple of Kyne in Whiterun; one of the very few places where such temples still stood and magic was tolerated. She had met him after she had been attacked by a giant on her way to Solitude. The damn thing had come around from the other side of a hill and she had no time to hide. He'd swiped her with his club, braking two ribs and bruising several organs, before she set him on fire.

Luckily a farmer had come along and found her. He had taken her to the city, though he dropped her there with no preamble. He'd been too afraid of her magic to do much else. Heath had been sympathetic to her plight and when she told him of her trips to the monastery he'd given her a few books to learn from. He even accompanied her on a trip or two and taught her a few tricks. They dated for two years before admitting that the distance was too much. She loved her restaurant where it was and also liked to travel and he couldn't bring himself to leave the temple.

_It was fun while it lasted and we're still good friends._

Evangeline cleaned her dishes and prepared for bed. Tomorrow she would go through her usual exercises in the school of Destruction, and then brush up on her Illusion spells. She was most excited about the following day though. There were a few new Conjuration and Alteration spells she was looking forward to learning. After her time here she would travel to Whiterun. Working with Heath at the temple was the only way she could practice Restoration without injuring herself.

_And I'm not doing that. I am _not_ a masochist._


End file.
